MONSOON SESSION LIKELY TO BEGIN IN JULY

MONSOON SESSION LIKELY TO BEGIN IN JULY

Subject: Polity

Context: The monsoon session of Parliament is expected to begin on schedule in July.

The last session of Parliament was curtailed and ended sine die on March 25 and under the Constitutional norms, the next session has to be held within six months. This period ends on September 14.

Concept:

• Three sessions have been curtailed since the pandemic began in March last year. First of these was the Budget session of 2020. The winter session last year was also cut short.
• Last year, the monsoon session, which usually starts in July, began in September.

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 85 requires that there should not be a gap of more than six months between two sessions of Parliament.
• Please note, the Constitution does not specify when or for how many days Parliament should meet.
• The power to convene a session of Parliament rests with the government. The decision is taken by the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs.
• The decision of the Committee is formalised by the President, in whose name MPs are summoned to meet for a session.